The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority has announced a series of flood-mitigation programs following a coordination meeting with the Department of Public Works and Highways and local government units. These initiatives aim to address flooding in identified high-risk areas across Metro Manila.

During the meeting, MMDA boss Don Artes highlighted the construction of three new pumping stations along Taft Avenue, UN Avenue, and Malate in Manila. These stations are expected to significantly alleviate flooding in these areas, an issue that anyone who has ever driven there in the rainy season will be well familiar with.

The installation of power supplies for the pumping stations on Remedios and Abad is underway and is expected to be completed by June, while the station on Padre Faura is nearing completion and will be operational in July.

In cases where pumping stations alone aren’t enough, the MMDA and the DPWH have agreed to open the floodgates of the sewage treatment plant in Manila Bay, a measure that should cause floodwaters to recede more quickly. On top of that, several other projects were also mentioned during the meeting, including:

1. Sunog Apog pumping station—located along San Diego street in Manila—is projected to reduce flooding along España Boulevard.
2. Four additional future pumping stations are to be constructed by the DPWH in Tatalon, Doña Imelda, and Roxas District in Quezon City. These stations aim to tackle flooding issues along Araneta Avenue.
3. A series of detention ponds are proposed for construction inside Camp Aguinaldo in QC. These structures are designed to temporarily store stormwater runoff.

Residents of Mandaluyong will be happy to hear that the MMDA has also committed to funding the repair of a pump at a station in the city that should help address flooding in Maysilo Circle, while drainage improvements are also underway in Caloocan City to mitigate localized flooding there.

According to Artes, all 71 pumping stations operated by the MMDA are fully functional, with 36 undergoing upgrades as part of the Metro Manila Flood Management Project. Regular cleanups of drainage systems, creeks, and other waterways are also conducted to support flood-mitigation efforts.